The present invention relates to a code printing apparatus and a code printing medium applied to the same. The code printing apparatus prints and records, on a printing medium such as paper, so-called multimedia information as an optically readable code pattern image. The multimedia information includes audio information such as speeches and music, image information obtained from a camera, a video recorder, etc., and text data obtained from a personal computer, word processor, etc.
Conventionally, various media such as a magnetic tape or an optical disk are known as media for recording audio information such as speeches and music. Even if these media are mass-produced, the price per unit is relatively high and the space necessary for storing the media is large. A great amount of labor and time is needed when a medium recording speeches is sent to a specified person by mail or brought to him/her directly. The same applies to the case of sending so-called multimedia information including image information obtained from a camera, a video device, etc. and text data obtained from a personal computer, a word processor, etc.
In order to solve this problem, the assignee of the present invention proposes a recording system and a reproducing system in EP 0,670,551 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Ser. No. 08/407,018). This recording system records multimedia information on an information recording medium such as paper in the form of a dot code in which dots are arranged two-dimensionally as image information or coded information which permits facsimile transmission and inexpensive mass-duplication, and the reproducing system reproduces the multimedia information recorded in the form of the dot code.
FIG. 1 shows a dot code 10 disclosed in the aforementioned EP 0,670,555 A1. According to the data format of dot code 10, one block 12 comprises a marker 14, a block address 16, address error detection/correction data 18 and a data area 20. Data dots 22 corresponding to actual data are recorded on the data area 20. The dot code 10 is produced in the form of an image in which such blocks 12 are arranged two-dimensionally in a matrix.
The aforementioned EP 0,670,555 A1 discloses that the dot code 10 is read and reproduced by a pen-type information reproducing device. This document also discloses a method of printing out synthesis information by means of a printer, etc., by synthesizing code image multimedia information and non-code image information of characters and pictures scanned by the pen-type information reproducing device serving as a scanner.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, multimedia information such as characters or pictures printed on a paper sheet 24 is read by a pen-type information reproducing device 26 and input to an output process unit 28. In the output process unit 28, the input multimedia information is separated into components, i.e. image data, graph data and character data, and the respective information components are extended by extension process units 32, 34 and 36. The extended image data and graph data is interpolated by data interpolation units 38 and 40, and the interpolated image and graph data is supplied to a synthesis circuit 42. The extended character data is subjected to a PLD (Page Description Language) process in a PLD process unit 44, and the resultant character data is input to the synthesis circuit 42. The synthesis circuit 42 synthesizes the image, graph and character data, and the synthesized data is stored in a memory 46. The data stored in the memory 46 is read out according to address data delivered from an address control unit 48. The read-out data is supplied to an output unit 54 via an interpolation unit 50 and a D/A converter 52. In the output unit 54, an edit monitor 56 displays the supplied data. Thus, the user is able to confirm the data which is actually output.
The data read out from the memory 46 is also input to a synthesis unit 58. On the other hand, multimedia information read out by the pen-type information reproducing device 26 is converted to a dot code in a coding unit 60. The converted dot code is output-interpolated in an output adaptive interpolation unit 62 so as to be adaptive to the resolution of an output device 64 such as a printer or a copying machine. The interpolated dot code is delivered to the synthesis unit 58. Thus, the synthesis unit 58 synthesizes the data from the memory 46 and the data from the output adaptive interpolation unit 62. In other words, the dot code is added to the characters and/or pictures and the combined data is output to the printer or copying machine of the output unit 54 via an interface (I/F) 66.
An output selector 68 provides the output adaptive interpolation unit 62 with information on the resolution of the output device 64 such as the printer or copying machine. When the output device 64 such as the printer or copying machine is connected to the output process unit 28 and the model type thereof is identified, the resolution of the output device 64 is automatically determined. In the case where data is input to the output device 64 such as the printer or copying machine in an off-line manner by using a floppy disk, etc., the model type of the output device 64 is not determined. In such a case, the user switches the resolution manually.
In the above structure, the information of characters or pictures, other than the dot code, is printed out or copied as it is, and the dot code is output while it is matched with the resolution of the medium to be output.
Although the aforementioned document discloses the technique wherein the information, such as characters and pictures, other than the code image, and the multimedia information represented by the code image are synthesized and printed out by means of the printer, etc., it is silent on concrete means for actually specifying the layout of the information other than the dot code and the dot code itself in the synthesis unit 58.
The problem of the actual layout of the information, other than the dot code, and the dot code itself also arises in a code printing apparatus which does not use the pen-type information reproducing device 26.